Yishak Kidanu's Quiet Formula for Big Engagement

Yishak Kidanu's Quiet Formula for Big Engagement

I stumbled onto Yishak Kidanu while looking for creators with small-ish audiences but unusually strong signal. And I had to double-take: 1,230 followers and a 157.00 Hero Score. That combo is spicy. It basically screams: "When he does show up, people care." Pretty impressive, right?

So I went down the rabbit hole to understand what might be driving that kind of engagement efficiency, especially compared to two other strong creators: Chorouk Malmoum (63,249 followers, 152.00 Hero Score) and Ben van Sprundel (17,770 followers, 102.00 Hero Score). Different sizes, different markets, different vibes. But the interesting part is what stays consistent.

Here's what stood out:

• Yishak wins on efficiency - the engagement-to-audience ratio is elite, even with very low posting frequency.
• Chorouk wins on scale plus consistency - big audience, still strong Hero Score, and a clear positioning in AI agents.
• Ben wins on systems and outcomes - more "operator" energy, with practical automation results that naturally invite leads.

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Yishak Kidanu's Performance Metrics

Here's what's interesting: Yishak posts about 0.1 times per week (that is roughly one post every 10 weeks), yet his Hero Score is the highest in this mini set. That usually means one of two things (sometimes both): he has a tight network that actually reads, or his posts are "save-worthy" when they appear. And if you're building a reputation as a software engineer, that kind of trust is gold.

Key Performance Indicators

Side-by-side snapshot (the numbers that frame everything)

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What Makes Yishak Kidanu's Content Work

We don't have full topic and writing-style breakdowns here, so I can't pretend I watched every post and counted every hook type. But you can still learn a lot from the signals we do have: the profile positioning (cloud-native systems + AI-driven products), the network size, the posting cadence, and that 157 Hero Score.

The way I interpret it: Yishak likely plays a "high-intent" content game. Fewer posts. More substance. More credibility.

1. The "Engineer-to-Engineer" positioning (no fluff)

So here's what I noticed from his headline and framing: Yishak doesn't try to be everything. He anchors on cloud-native systems and AI-driven products, then backs it up with a concrete stack: React, Next.js, Node.js, Go. That sounds simple, but it does a lot of work.

It filters the audience.

And that filtering is what makes engagement feel stronger, because the right people stop scrolling.

Key Insight: Write your positioning like you're answering "What do you build, and what do you build it with?" in one breath.

This works because LinkedIn isn't just content. It's a talent marketplace, a peer-review room, and a referral engine. When your positioning is crisp, people know when to tag you, DM you, or remember you.

Strategy Breakdown:

2. Low frequency, high signal (the "selective posting" advantage)

But here's the thing: posting 0.1/wk is not a growth hack. It's closer to a philosophy. It tells me Yishak probably posts when there's something worth saying, not because the calendar says so.

And weirdly, that can create anticipation. If your network is used to you posting rarely, they pay attention when you do.

Now, would I recommend everyone copy that cadence? Honestly, no. If you're early and nobody knows you yet, you might need more reps. But once you have a real peer network, selective posting can be a power move.

Comparison with Industry Standards:

3. Building in public, but in a calm way

When I think "software engineer + AI-driven products," the content that tends to outperform isn't motivational stuff. It's the practical, slightly nerdy notes like: tradeoffs, architecture decisions, failures, and fixes.

And if Yishak's Hero Score is that high, my bet is his posts do at least one of these:

• share a real build decision ("I tried X, it broke, here's what I changed")
• compress a complex idea into a clean mental model
• show a workflow that saves other engineers time

People don't just like that content. They store it.

4. A "global credibility" angle without trying too hard

Want to know what surprised me? Location can be an advantage if you lean into it the right way.

Yishak being based in Ethiopia isn't a limitation. It's a story edge. If he shares what it's like building cloud-native and AI products from a market that is underrepresented in tech media, people listen. Not out of pity. Out of curiosity and respect.

Chorouk and Ben also have geographic angles (France, Brazil). The pattern is: they all feel like real humans in real places, not generic "internet experts." That authenticity is sticky.

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Their Content Formula

Because we don't have explicit hook style and CTA data, I'm going to stay honest and focus on a practical formula that fits Yishak's metric profile: high efficiency, low volume, technical credibility.

If I were advising him (or copying the approach), I'd assume the winning formula is:

• a direct hook that signals value to engineers
• a body that teaches one thing, cleanly
• a CTA that invites peer conversation, not likes

Content Structure Breakdown

The Hook Pattern

The hooks that work best for technical creators usually sound like a message you'd send a teammate.

Template:

"I built [thing] and here's the one decision that mattered most."

"If you're using [tool/pattern] for [use case], watch out for this."

"I thought [assumption] was true. It wasn't. Here's what happened."

Why this hook works: it signals a real experience, not theory. And it creates a tiny curiosity gap without being clicky.

The Body Structure

When technical posts flop, it's usually because they skip the reasoning. The reader can't tell if the conclusion is earned.

So the body needs to walk like an engineer thinks: context, constraints, options, decision, outcome.

Body Structure Analysis:

The CTA Approach

A lot of creators end with "Thoughts?" and call it a day. It works sometimes. But technical audiences respond better to targeted prompts.

Examples of CTAs that fit Yishak's world:

• "What would you choose here: [A] or [B], and why?"
• "Any gotchas you've hit with [tool] in production?"
• "If you're building AI features, what part is hardest right now: data, evals, or deployment?"

Psychology-wise, this is simple: you're not asking for praise. You're asking for peer input. That invites real comments, and real comments drive distribution.

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What the other two creators reveal (and how it helps Yishak)

Now, here's where it gets interesting. If you line these three up, you can see three valid ways to win:

Comparison Table: What each creator is "selling" with content

Comparison Table: Scale vs efficiency (why Hero Score matters)

And if you're Yishak, the opportunity is obvious: you already have the efficiency. If you add just a bit more consistency, you could compound fast.

One more practical note: posting windows matter. The best posting times listed are 09:00-12:00 and 17:00-18:00. If Yishak only posts occasionally, timing becomes even more important because each post is a "big swing." Put it where people will actually see it.

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3 Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today

1. Write a one-line positioning that names your domain and your tools - specificity attracts the right comments and DMs.

2. Post fewer things, but make each post "keepable" - share a decision, tradeoff, or checklist someone can save.

3. End with a peer-level question - ask for edge cases, alternatives, or "what broke for you," because that sparks real discussion.

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Key Takeaways

1. Yishak's advantage is efficiency - 157.00 Hero Score with 1,230 followers is a trust signal.
2. Low posting can work if the signal is high - but consistency will still compound faster if quality stays.
3. Chorouk shows what scale looks like when teaching is the product - big audience, still strong resonance.
4. Ben shows the power of systems content - outcomes and repeatable processes create business gravity.

If you try one thing this week, try this: write one post that teaches a real decision you made, then ask a specific question that invites smart disagreement. That's the good stuff. What do you think?

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Meet the Creators

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This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.